Jun 30, 2020

Moving abroad with small children

If you are planning on moving abroad with small children, it is important that you consider how your planned move might affect them. As adults, we are responsible for the decisions we make, but in addition to that, we are responsible for our children and their happiness and well-being as well. Finding the right place for you and your family might not be easy seeing as it requires a lot of consideration and preparation. It is important that you consider the economic opportunities, quality of life, childcare, and education options before making the final decision. Finding a place that offers everything you are looking for and making the decision to relocate marks the beginning of your new adventure.
A globe with a hand pointing at it
Starting a new chapter of your life abroad requires a lot of planning and organization.

Moving abroad

Let's say that for example, you wish to experience a new culture, a different climate, and explore new natural landscapes. After learning about several possible destinations you decide that you wish to relocate with your family to Saudi Arabia. You might have learned about Saudi Arabia in general, but relocating there will require knowledge of details, cultural practices, traditions, and how things function. This can be a lot for one person to learn, especially if you don't have much time at your disposal for the move itself. This is a good moment for you to consider hiring a local moving company. The experience and services offered by local moving companies such as Four Winds SA can be of great value and can help ensure your relocation goes smoothly.

Things to consider

Finding a moving company abroad that can provide all the services you require can be a difficult task. You should start by researching the available options and narrowing them down to a choice of three companies that meet your needs. Next, you will need to obtain cost estimates for your move from each of the three companies. Once you have the estimates it will be easier for you to choose a company that can offer you great service at a reasonable price.

Many companies that deal with international relocations can offer you additional information about the country of your choice. This includes information about the local laws and regulations, tax rates, and documents that are required such as visas or residency permits. Having this knowledge in advance will make your move a lot easier. Waiting in queues at information desks or passport control is draining enough as it is; doing it with small children can be a Herculian task.

Don't forget to gather information about the following:

  • What visa requirements are in place and how you can obtain a visa if necessary? Are there customs formalities everyone needs to deal with? Your moving company might be able to help you with paperwork and documentation.
  • Research the tax requirements in the country you plan on moving to.
  • If possible, before purchasing a property in your new country of residence, try to find a place that you can live in for a few months. Doing so will help you get accustomed to your new surroundings and get a feel for the place.
  • Find out about the local culture and language in advance. Acquiring basic knowledge of the language and local dialect beforehand can make a big difference in the first few months of your new life abroad.
  •  Moving abroad can be a trying time for your kids. If you own pets, taking them with you can make their adaptation easier. Find out what requirements are in place for relocating with your pets.
  • Keep in mind that moving abroad to a country where a foreign language is spoken will require a period of adaptation. Young children tend to pick up foreign languages quickly if they are surrounded by it. Nurseries and schools are a great place for them to learn the language so make sure to research childcare and educational options available.
  • At some point, you will need to decide what to do with your property back in your home country. Renting your property out can be a good option as it can serve as an additional source of income until you settle in and find a job. But if you decide to sell your current home, try to do everything you can to impress buyers and get the best possible price for it. 

Creating an inventory of your belongings and the items you wish to move abroad is going to be essential if you wish to set a budget for your move and get cost estimates from moving companies. The main factor that will determine the price of your relocation is the number of items you wish to take with you so consider this in detail. Donating or selling the items you no longer need as well as the ones you can easily replace could prove to be a good idea. Selling small appliances will not only supplement your budget and cut your moving costs, but it will also make replacing them with new appliances in your new country of residence more affordable. Don’t get rid of everything though. Small children often form emotional attachments to their belongings. So, if they need their beddings or a special pillow don’t hesitate to take those with you.

Moving checklist

Planning a move abroad with small children will require you to be well organized. Creating a moving checklist can simplify the matter significantly. Write down all the tasks that need to be completed and assign them to members of your family accordingly. Your children may be young but that does not mean they cannot complete simple tasks, so make sure that your children are included in the moving process. This will make the move easier for them. If your children feel involved and like they are an integral part of the process, they will accept the move more easily.

Talk to your children and prepare them for the relocation

Moving within your home country is not easy, but moving abroad is a whole different ball game. Planning such a move with small children and getting them to accept it is no easy task. Young children tend to adapt to new surroundings and cultures more easily than adults. However, moving abroad is a big change and as such, it needs to be approached as gently as possible.

Try talking with your family about the possibility of moving abroad, describe why the relocation is necessary and the benefits it carries. You should let your kids be involved in every step of the process, such as packing and other tasks they can help with. Spend time with them as they pack their favorite toys. Try to answer every question they might have. Those are just some of the ways that you can help them adjust to a new city or school. They will look up to you, so be aware of your behavior and try to stay calm and positive.
A group of children holding their hands up
When moving abroad with small children, assimilating them with a group of children their age is a great way of making the move less stressful
Moving abroad with small children might seem like a daunting task, but the benefits of such a move are often more than worth the effort. Not only will your children learn to adapt to new surroundings, but they will also experience different cultures, learn a new language, and become more accepting of diversity. This will help them grow and learn and will mold them into young adults you can be proud of.

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Jun 26, 2020

5 ways to bring maximum sunshine in your home

We are mostly spending our days indoors for almost 3 months now due to global pandemic and lockdown. Though the lockdown has been relaxed, the fear of being infected, keeping us at home as much as possible. Lack of fresh air and less time in nature can affect our physical as well as mental well-being. Basking in the rays of the sun reduces blood pressure, stress and anxiety and also helps achieving inner calm. That’s why sustainable home designs focus on positioning a building in relation to seasonal variations in the sun’s path as well as prevailing wind patterns to maximize natural lighting.

Sounabha Bose and Prapti Bose, IT professionals and a newly married couple, wanted to buy a 2 BHK flat near Sector 5, Kolkata so that they can stay closer to their workplace and at the end of the day enjoy some quality time with each other. There was a long list of things that they wished for their first home. The first thing of their priority list was the home should be filled with abundant sunshine and air. The couple settled for a residential project in Rajarhat with large windows for bright airy rooms. They chose a thoughtfully designed home and customized it in their own way with some added measures to maximize the sunshine.

Let’s see the tricks that instantly add sunshine to your home to make it feel brighter and lighter.

1.       Position of home:

The position of your home, in regards to the sun, can reduce or even eliminate the need for auxiliary heating and cooling, resulting in lower energy bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved comfort. In the northern hemisphere, the walls facing south receive the most sunlight. For the best orientation, it’s important to prioritise your heating and cooling needs. Place the longest side of your house facing south and make sure there is little to no jogs and offsets in this south-facing wall as it might increase shade on that side and thus reduce light.

2.       Placement of windows and doors:

Extend your windows up and over or have thinner frames or bay windows whose sides naturally grab more light. Tall, big windows maximise the amount of sunshine streaming into your rooms. Windows in unexpected places like the end of hallways, stairwells, or pantries can be good additions. Try to keep the windows open and use light linen or gauzy curtains to allow in more light. Exchange walls for windows or use sliding glass door to let the sunshine in and take advantage of a view.

3.       Paint it right:

Painting walls with light colours or any soft shade of white paint will make space feel brighter as it reflects the natural light entering the room, rather than absorbing it. Off-white shade creates a much warmer effect while painting the ceiling a couple of shades lighter than the walls create the illusion of height and space.

4.       Let the light bounce:

Consider placing mirrors opposite of windows. Mirrors can reflect existing natural light and help make the room look brighter and larger. Adding mirror balls is a good way to bounce light around a room and create a fun atmosphere in your space. Place mirrored balls in front of a window and watch the refracted sunlight dance around the walls. Shiny surfaces like door handles, cabinets, and faucets reflect more light than a flat option. In bathrooms and kitchens, the use of glass tiles will give it an elegant look, and more light.


Adding sunshine is said to be the number one feature people look for when buying a family home. Let us guide you to make your home brighter with some simple tricks.

Jun 24, 2020

Women in Tech: How to Transition to Tech Roles in 2020

Women continue to be underrepresented in many economic sectors. Unfortunately, tech is no different. The figures say it all—approximately 20 percent of all jobs in technology worldwide are held by women. Even today, only 18 percent of computer science degree holders in the US are women.

Female professionals looking to transition to a career in tech may be held back by several factors. They may be intimidated about entering this male-dominated world. Perhaps they feel like they don’t have the skills required to complete the transition. The journey to becoming a tech professional may not be easy, but there are plenty of ways to get there if you put in the work.

Talent Mobility

Many believe that you need to have impressive coding skills or be a maths whizz to be employed in the tech sector, but that’s nothing more than a myth. The truth is that companies in the tech sector require the services of professionals from a wide array of sectors. These professionals can have very satisfying and lucrative careers.

A culture and compensation data platform, Comparably, recently compiled results from more than 14,500 users to determine the most popular jobs in tech companies for people without a technical background. The workers came from small, mid-size, and large companies, including Apple, Uber, and Facebook. The study found plenty of roles that require little to no tech experience—some with hefty salaries and bonuses attached.

These are a few of the non-technical roles in high demand among tech companies such as accountants (with the base salary of $60,249), copywriters ($65,976), customer service managers ($65,400), business analysts ($78,393), and marketing managers ($81,095).

The thing is that these positions can also serve as a springboard to a full technical career. Many people have been hired by tech companies as copywriters or social media managers and then progressively transition into a technical role. You may enter a tech company as a non-techie, get bitten by the coding bug, and start learning a programming language or tool that interests you. Eventually, you may transition to a full technical role such as a web designer, digital marketer, or SEO expert.

Get the Skills You Need

If you are considering a career shift, you will need to acquire certain skills and knowledge. You have several options at your disposal.

The traditional route is to study computer science at a university or college to earn an academic degree. Many tech employers indeed favor university graduates, but earning a college degree entails a four-year commitment and a huge financial investment.

A second—and increasingly more popular—path is to attend a coding bootcamp. Bootcamps allow you to acquire the skills you need to have your foot in the door quickly. In less than 15 weeks of intense, practical training, you will learn the basics of your chosen profession and will be ready to apply for jobs.

More and more people are choosing coding bootcamps as opposed to studying full-time at a university. This is because bootcamps represent a much smaller time and money investment and are, therefore, considered the smarter alternative. Compare the average cost of a bootcamp—$13,500—to what a university degree could potentially cost. Earning a degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), for example, costs between $60,000 and $70,000 per year, making the cost of a single semester a lot higher than that of an entire coding bootcamp.

Finally, many tech sector hopefuls choose to teach themselves. Depending on how disciplined and motivated you are, this could be the right option for you.

Seek Support

The journey is always easier with other like-minded people by your side. Fortunately, there are a few organizations and regular events to inspire young women to enter a career in tech and to support those who are already walking down that path.

Women in Technology (WIT) is an organization with one aim—advancing women in technology, from student to seasoned professional. To achieve its goal, WIT engages in leadership development, technology education, networking, and mentoring opportunities for women at all levels of their professional careers. The organization has over 1,000 members in the Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia metro region.

Similarly named, Women in Tech, is an international organization that aims to close the gender gap and help women embrace technology. The organization focuses on four primary areas: education, entrepreneurialism, social inclusion, and science and innovation. The aim is to educate, equip, and empower women and girls with the necessary skills and confidence to succeed in STEM career fields.

The Women Tech Global Conference​​​​​​ is a virtual conference connecting thousands of women, minorities and their allies in tech through an interactive platform featuring keynotes, engaging panels, technical workshops, and a tech job fair with face-to-face networking sessions.​​​​​​​

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